Ever After
by FroilanBard
Summary: My take on events post-FIN. Gabrielle struggles to move on after Xena's 'permanent death'. Meanwhile, Xena realises Akemi is not who she thought she was as she wanders through the spiritual realm. Will Xena and Gabrielle meet again?
1. Gabrielle's Woe

**Note: I do not own Xena.**

**I. Gabrielle's Woe**

"Even in death, Gabrielle, I will never leave you."

Xena held out her hand as Gabrielle met it midair to grasp it. Just as they touched, the image became blurred threatened by her consciousness. She reached out in the vain hope that she will be able to feel her one more time. But she felt only air. Cold damp air. As she came to, her gaze settled upon the black urn sitting unassumingly beside her. The urn that contained the ashes of her companion, partner, mentor, friend and beloved.

_Beloved._ _Funny word, that._ She pondered the last word that never made it to her lips in the 6 winters they have travelled together.

Upon gaining her thoughts and controlling her emotions, Gabrielle stood up groggily to a ship shaking back and forth violently. Her head felt light and heavy at the same time. She felt a pool of wetness on her pillow. She has been crying through her dreams.

"Some warrior," she thought to herself helplessly as she came on deck to check up on the others. She has been on this ship from Japa for a season now. Or so she tried to remember. It has been hard keeping track of her whereabouts and time as she struggled to come to terms with the permanence of Xena's death. Sure it is true that they have 'died' a countless times and explored the many stages of heaven and hell, but their love… the need to be together never failed to always bring them back to the land of the living. No matter how implausible. Against all odds, they would always find a way. Like yin and yang. One could simply not exist without the other. At the time the possibility and certainty of death almost seemed non-existent. But right now, she just feels powerless, alone, desolate, dreary and defeated at the thought of losing the one person who taught her everything and gave her every opportunity to live and most importantly, to love, for good, over a cause that was greater than the two of them.

"Hey! You there!" a husky voice called out to her, breaking her trance of depression; she swayed back and forth with the motion of the ship, trying to keep the bile from rising to her throat.

She managed a squeaky, "Yep". The captain seemed agitated as he struggled to maintain the course of the ship.

"Man the sails!" He ordered her as everybody on deck frantically tried to keep the ship stabilised through rough seas. Before she took a step, she felt a surge of warm liquid course through her oesophagus. She vomited on one poor deckhand who just happened to pass by her.

The captain rolled his eyes. "Some warrior, you are, aye?" he chided under his breath. "Move! Move! I'll not have you tainting this deck with anymore of your bodily fluids. By the gods, and here I thought Poseidon was enough worry," he pushed her over to one side as he shouted his orders to the others who were capable.

She smiled meekly as he cursed under his breath. Images of Xena's warm gaze during the times when she could no longer contain her seasickness and her tender touch as she would rub her back filled her thoughts. She felt another coming up as she grasped her chest for some form of comfort. She's never felt this helpless. Never this inefficient. Never this weak.

"I… I think I'm just gonna go back below deck," she muttered under her breath. The poor deckhand nodded sympathetically despite her vomit on him. He knew she was not in her best form seeing the colour drain from her the moment they stepped on rough currents. Not to mention the prospect of being vomited on twice in a row was something he was not looking forward to. "…and sorry for that, by the way," she added abjectly as she went down the steps.

The ship rocked once more as she tried to find her footing. She eventually touched the warmth of the fur on her makeshift bed. She reached out for the urn and hugged it closer to her as she traced its rough contours, closing her eyes and taking in every essence of the most important person in her life… or what's left of her.

_How am I supposed to go on without you?_


	2. A New Kind of Paradise

**Disclaimer: I do not own Xena. Gabrielle or Akemi, for that matter, too.**

**Disclaimer: **I have taken creative liberties when it comes to portraying religious (and/or philosophical) imagery. As such, any spiritual deities or state may or may not be who or what one thinks they are. There are explanations as to their relevance within the context of the story, however.

**Note: **Thanks for the reviews. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. :)

Onward! :D

**II. A New Kind of Paradise**

_Xena._

"Where am I?"

_Xena._ The voice sounded ethereal. Spiritual. Surreal. So tender and warm. She could lose herself in it, were it not for someone shaking her softly.

Xena finally opened her eyes to a tender gaze that looked at her expectantly. "Akemi!" she reached out to the frail figure crouching by her side.

"You're finally awake," Akemi said as Xena motioned to get up. She felt light.

A fog permeated their surrounding albeit it was warm. She could hear a faint flow of stream in the distance not far away although she could not point out its certain destination. Almost like being lost in a dream only she was conscious and aware. She felt her presence and at the same time she was not there. It was unlike anything she has ever been or seen. The feeling of certainty and uncertainty settling in her gut. It went against any of her instinct.

"Akemi, tell me, where are we? Gabri…" she looked around frantically looking for signs of Gabrielle but stopped abruptly as Akemi's downcast eyes said it all. She remembered now. She had to stay dead this time.

"I… I'm sorry," Akemi meekly let out. Xena slowly stood up and turned her back on her.

"Me, too," she said softly. She said it more to herself than to anybody else. A lone tear fell from her iridescent blue eyes. It seemed to turn to crystal as it sparkled on the way down. "What… what is this place?" she finally started after a moment or two of silence.

"They call this Nirvana," Akemi approached the taller figure and stepped in her shadow as she scanned the horizon calmly. "It's beautiful, Xena," she stole a glance at the warrior who looked immaculate in her red kimono. Xena looked downtrodden. Akemi turned her face towards her and cupped the fullness of it in her small hands.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm here for you," Xena smiled halfheartedly, defeated. "Just like the old days, Xena."


	3. Coming Home

**Note: I do not own Xena.**

**Friendly Caution: **Massive wall of text incoming.

**III. Coming Home / Familiar Stranger**

The smell of Greece graced Gabrielle's nose as she decided to go back to land. She has, time and time again, acknowledged that a life at sea was not in any shape or form the pleasant experience others made it out to be. She inhaled the smell of grass; inhaled the memories that she held so very dear to her heart-a life filled with adventures, the unknown, even the inevitability of death. She has long ago accepted the consequences of her life with Xena when she turned her back on her village and even her family, in the desire and hope to become like the woman she so admired from the very first moment she saw her in action and heard that war cry that would scare even a troll a valley away. She was prepared to face anything so long as they did it together. Now, she can't help but feel a profound emptiness as she passed by a worn-out sign that read, "Amphipolis." She held the urn closer to her as she rode on. She remembers this pass well despite the changes in the landscape-forest now overgrown after the many seasons she no longer cared to keep track of.

"We're going home, Xena," she paused as she smirked. "Well, _you're_ going home. As for me, I don't know what I should be doing yet. We planned for that trip south to Alexandria, didn't we? I don't know if they are still advertising for a girl with a chakram, I'm gonna have to check up on that. You always believed in me but," she tried to choke back the tears, "…without you I don't know if I…" _Dammit, I have to be strong. _It was not an issue of dependence. She has grown to be her own, almost Xena's equal when it came to battle. After all she learnt from the best. But accepting death in its certainty was an entirely different matter. She was finding it hard to let go.

Her thoughts were momentarily disrupted though as she felt a sudden shift in the wind. She has grown accustomed to the necessity of being alert all the time over the course of her life with Xena. She reached for her sais. As the horse came through the bend, a group of thugs came down the trees. They were ready and waiting as Gabrielle's horse panicked and reared. She held on for dear life but her horse was too strong and the motion too sudden. She fell to the ground. The four of them started ganging up on Gabrielle as she tried to find her footing. They certainly did not waste time for introductions.

One of the thugs who had an ugly tattoo on his forehead and a sort of a nose ring swung his long sword at Gabrielle. She managed to block it just in the nick of time with her sais. He was strong. She could feel the cold of his sword as it inched closer to her naked skin. It did not help, too, that her balance was off to start with as her left knee almost buckled underneath his weight. It took her a while to finally push him off with her trusty sais. With one quick action, she grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. He winced in pain. She delivered a quick and strong blow to his neck to immobilise him before he could find an advantage. He fell unconscious to the ground. The others were not deterred, however. They were all too eager to get a taste of the Battling Bard of Potideia it seems. Her resolve now fierce, her confidence now soaring high, she motioned her sais on the offensive. They were about to get a full dose of the Battling Bard. "You want to dance! Let's dance!" she shouted. The boorish men were not intimidated, they almost anticipated it. They eyed each other as if planning, strategising on how to quickly take down the small blonde warrior before them. Gabrielle looked at them curiously. These were not just your ordinary thugs out to take advantage of hapless journeymen. The smallest one of the men approached her slowly as she tried to match his rhythm. He had a wide scar that ran from his left temple to the edge of his lip. Gabrielle can't help but grimace at the gory sight. He smiled as if basking in the attention. She concentrated on him. With a blink of an eye, however, he faked a left step. She followed suit but it was a little too late before she realised her mistake. A momentary surge of panic seeped in.

_Listen to what's behind the sound._

She closed her eyes, feeling the wind around her, listening to its gust. There was no time to lose but she had to concentrate. She opened them again just as he attacked on the right. She managed to fend him off. Barely. She felt a pang of pain on her right arm. She eyed the open wound. Annoyed. But the two others did not waste time, they were already surrounding her, making a small circle around her. She looked around, studying her opponents. Two of them carried short swords that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. They were of silver made, she concluded. While the small one carried with him a dagger. This, too, was made of silver. But adorned with signs foreign to her. He licked her blood off it menacingly.

Gabrielle scoffed and went for it towards the smallest one. He sidestepped and evaded the attack. The other two struck behind Gabrielle's back, her arms moved fluidly as she blocked both of their advances off. Just as the clacking of metals was heard, she realised too little too late the mistake of leaving her front wide open as a small figure moved in quick and delivered a strong blow straight to her gut. She dropped her left sai as she writhed in pain. Now on her knees, she managed to roll to one side just as one of them motioned to implant his short sword through her chest. But the small man already made his move and trapped her as he pinned her to the ground. She struggled to free herself from his grasp but he put on his full weight over her. For such a small frame, he was surprisingly heavy. He motioned to strike. His dagger ready for the kill as he traced her collar from one side to the other almost languidly. Gabrielle looked at him straight in the eyes. She saw no remorse nor a hint of hesitation. As if she was just another one of his prey. She almost felt she saw excitement. She felt no fear, however. Only disgust that one could kill so readily and without any semblance of conscience.

"Make it quick," she sneered defiantly. He cocked his head to one side as if amused.

Just as he was about to strike, one of the other men fell abruptly to the ground; an arrow implanted in his chest. This was quickly followed by a second sudden thud on the ground. The other one, too, had an arrow firm in his chest. There was a third 'whoosh' sound as another arrow made its way through the leaves, but the man was far too quick and far too alert. It only managed to gnash a layer of skin on his neck. He eyed Gabrielle curiously one last time as he ran for the bushes. She took it to mean "Till we meet again."

She caught her breath as she took a moment to lie still on the ground. Still reeling from the fight and the suddenness of it and the inevitable end were it not for the stranger who shot down the mercenaries. She was unsure if she felt grateful for the timely save or regret that an opportunity to be with Xena was taken from her. (Whichever plane of spiritual existence Xena was in now.) She felt indifferent to life; confused as to what she should feel. She did not want to disappoint Xena; live life for both of them but at the same time all she wanted was to be with her. She heard someone moving through the bushes. She closed her eyes and sighed as she took in the warm spring sun. She felt depleted and tired finding almost no reason left in her to go on. She inhaled again. This may be the last one she will be able to physically enjoy, she thought.

"Hey there," a feminine voice started. It was not too heavy, it was smooth but firm. "Are you okay?" her voice was laced with concern. Gabrielle opened her eyes to greet the stranger. She had a hand held out to help her up. It sure was a nice change of pace to meet someone friendly on the road. She could not make out her features in the direct sunlight only that the stranger was wearing some kind of a rounded hat with flaps on both sides that covered her ears. It almost reminded her of someone. Just as her vision was clearing, Gabrielle's eyes widened as she realised who it could be.

"Najara?" she blurted out lividly.


	4. Friend Or Foe

**Note: **Hey guys. Sorry for this really late update. I just went off to a little retreat... in my mind to quieten the clutter that was wreaking havoc. Heh. Anyway, onward!

**Note: I do not own Xena. **But I do have a life-sized poster of Lucy Lawless...

(I jest... I don't. Although, now that you mentioned it, that seems like a very _attractive_ idea.)

Here goes.

#$#

**IV. Friend or Foe**

"It can't be. How are you even alive?" she was now half sitting up with her elbows on the ground looking for her sais. She did not look a day older, maybe even younger, than when she remembered her. It has been too many seasons now since their last encounter. A moment in time that she has tried to forget. The stranger let out a small smile. She gently shook her head.

"You mistake me for someone else. I am not she."

"By the gods…," Gabrielle breathed in. Still not believing the uncanny resemblance. "You look just like her," she eyed her cautiously as she blurted out the words. "I… I meant someone we… I knew… met. Way back when." The stranger kept her hand in the air unassumingly. Gabrielle took it as she is gently helped from the ground.

Her stare did not leave the all too familiar face. The other woman found it strangely amusing.

"My name is Elnore. And yours?" she said warmly as her eyes sparkled. Once again, she held out a hand towards Gabrielle. The bard took it hesitantly, still staring. "Ga…Gabrielle," she said, barely above breath.

The familiar stranger's blue eyes settled on the gaping wound on Gabrielle's right arm. Her firm and beautiful features were now laced with concern as she efficiently took out a bandage from her small satchel pack. She motioned to bandage it up for her. Gabrielle gave a small nod entertaining the idea of saying 'no' but decided against it after realising her horse has gone off with most of her supplies.

"I understand your perplexity and I do not blame you if you feel uncomfortable with me," she said matter-of-factly as she wrapped the bandage around Gabrielle's arm. "But I have to ask, you spoke of my mother's name, how much do you know of her?"

"Mo…Mother? Did you say 'mother'?" Gabrielle's eyes widened with disbelief. The little new things one learns everyday. "I… I was not aware Najara was with child. I mean, well, sure, many years have now gone by but," she looked at her companion as she gently finished wrapping the bandage, she looked a little uncertain and dismal. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I really don't know much," Gabrielle said almost consolingly. "By the way, thanks for the arrows," she said half-jokingly as she looked at the dead bodies around them looking to break the ice.

"You're welcome," Elnore smiled at her. The resemblance was uncanny. There was almost no difference in their haircut, too. It was almost of the same length kept in a neat choppy haircut. And like her mother before her, she was not sure what to make of her. Although, this time, at least, Gabrielle now knows to check that all of her screws are placed on tight. And firmly.

"They were after me, actually," she said after a moment of silence.

"After you?"

"I have something of theirs," she said candidly. Gabrielle spotted a small dagger sticking out of her pack. Almost the same one the smallest mercenary was using. "The one who pinned you to the ground is an assassin," Elnore started gravely as if reading Gabrielle's mind. "One of their best. Those who are trained to indiscriminately kill and use whatever means to draw out their target. Instruments of entities called Djinn. The rest were mere mercenary thugs. But still cream of the crop. I apologise if they attacked you. I admit that particular part of the trick did not work out the way I planned. I planned to lose them in the woods before they get any ideas of infiltrating the city of Amphipolis, you see, but I had to use something as a decoy. I had no choice. I apologise," she bowed her head down sincerely.

"Huh," was all Gabrielle could muster. "Djinn?" She marvelled at the word. Many many seasons ago, she had accepted that Najara was just a plain nutcase; to actually now know that they were real, astounded her. It sent shivers up her spine.

"Yes. You've heard of them?" Her face contorted with anguish. "Malevolent and cunning spiritual creatures who are only really out to wreak havoc. Destroyed my adopted family. My life," she paused, grim written on her face. "Consumed my mother," she said vehemently as she clutched the bandage tighter in her fist. But she was again calm in a matter of seconds. She breathed in heavily as she stood upright and settled upon the urn lying haphazardly on the ground. She picked it up and handed it to Gabrielle, "I believe this is yours."

"I noticed the way you held it tight close to you while you were riding. Must be very special," again she smiled. Gabrielle took the urn chastising herself quietly for being careless in the fight that ensued.

"She was," she replied softly. "Anyway, I should go. Thanks for saving my life, again."

"No, wait. Are you on your way to Amphipolis, by any chance?"

Gabrielle nodded slightly; wary of giving away too much.

"Mind if I come with? I was on my way there, too, actually. Before that certain… incident," her gaze lowered as a faint blush coloured her cheeks. "Besides, I feel I owe you a great debt for putting your life in danger," she noticed a feeling of uncertainty in Gabrielle though, she quickly quipped to remedy the unwarranted reaction as she held both of her palms up as a sign of understanding, "But I will understand if you are against the idea. If you knew of my mother, I can not blame you for being wary of me or of my motives. As you should be. One is wise to not trust anybody on the road readily."

"Ahuh. I… I'm not really looking for a company."

"You should know, however, walking beside you or otherwise, I will keep watch. Just in case _he _comes back. He seemed to have taken a liking towards you." Gabrielle understood what she meant. The small assassin almost came too close. She knew he was a force to be reckoned with.

"I can take care of my own, thank you very much."

"Of course, you can. I am afraid that you may not. Something troubles you. A true warrior must not let anything hold them back. For a second of distraction may mean their last."

A moment of silence passed as Gabrielle pondered her words.

"Right."

She turned her heel towards the place that she has come to adopt as her own without a second look. She felt apprehensive of what Elnore's presence might bring. She has learnt, as time has proven, to be alert and vigilant. Most especially with the people she meets on the road. Living and travelling with a certain famous (and infamous) warrior princess can do that. Although she feels that she may have no choice in the matter, at Elnore's behest. First, however, she must follow Xena's wishes; place her ashes next to her family. There was no time for delay for she felt she may not be able to let go of the urn that safely carried Xena's ashes if she held on to it for far too long.

**Disclaimer: **Najara's cap was not stolen in the writing of this chapter. As for Najara's whereabouts, I may have to investigate even further. Rest assured, the Amphipolis city guards have not seen her either.


End file.
